The first records of the Mast family are found in the late 1500s in Guggisberg ‎(Mast, p12)‎, the Schwarzenburg District of Bern Canton, Switzerland, which is about 30 kilometers southwest of the capital of Bern, where families of that name still live. Right now there is no evidence any of them became part of the Anabaptist reform movement in the 1600-1700s. The Anabaptists ‎(German - Tèaufer)‎ believed in a confession of faith in Jesus has adults, and refused baptism of children since they could not make such an acknowledgement. Due to brutal religious persecution by the state churches for this belief, many fled Switzerland in the late 1600 and 1700s.

It seems doubtful Jacob became a Tèaufer, and there is evidence his parents never were, based on their marriage and baptisms of their children in the Reformed state church. Jacob's movements after his baptism and immigration are unknown, but no record of him has been found in Alsace or Germany with any of the other Anabaptists ‎(Miller, p215)‎. So, he may have left from Guggisberg, Switzerland directly for Rotterdam with the family of Jacob Beiler. It is possible the other later Mast immigrants were his cousins, but fairly certain they were not his brothers.

Jacob Mast, arrived in Pennsylvania, 8 Oct 1737, on the ship Charming Nancy ‎(Strassburger, 1:188-194)‎, and while there were a number of other Mennonite members on board, the group he traveled with apparently were not. By Jan 1737 ‎(sic)‎ Jacob had acquired his homestead near what is now Bernville, in Penn Twp, Berks Co, PA ‎(PAA, Ser.17.88)‎, and remained there for the duration of his life, the land passing to his eldest son Johannes ‎(Berks Co, will)‎ who finally patented it in 1808 ‎(Patent P63-151)‎.

The Northkill settlement has traditionally been seen as the mother from which the other eastern Pennsylvania Amish communities sprang. It's sister community was located on the Irish Creek between Bernville and Centerport. . . . The region was first opened to settlement in 1736. Of the 1737 passengers on the Charming Nancy, Jacob Mast, Ulrich Spicker, Christian Hershberger, Jacob Beiler, Henry Stehly, Christian Burki, Christian Kurtz, Christian Lichti, Abraham Miller, Christian Miller, Jacob Miller, and Hans Zimmerman found their way to the Irish Creek and Northkill areas ‎(Mennonite Church, USA, Historical Committee & Archives)‎.

Jacob and Barbara Mast fled from Canton Bern, Switzerland to the Alsace area of France and then to the Palatinate area of Germany because the Mennonites and Amish were being religiously persecuted by the Catholics. Finally on October 8, 1737 they emmigrated on the ship "Charming Nancy" to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from Rotterdam, Holland via England. From the files of Irene Mast.

"Amish immigration began in earnest on October 8, 1737, with the arrival of the Charming Nancy, a ship that had at least nineteen Amish families on board. The Charming Nancy was evidently an unhealthful ship, for during the voyage Hans Jacob Kauffman, keeping a diary in the margins of an almanac, recorded the deaths of twenty-two children and two adults among the Amish passengers alone. Jacob Beiler, Jacob Mast, Christian Miller, Christian Hershberger, Christian Berkey, Hans Zimmerman, Henry Stehly, and Ulrich Spicher with their families were among the Charming Nancy passengers who survived, found new homes, and became neighbors along Irish Creek. 1

BERKS CO WILL ABSTRACTS & ADMS 1766-1774WILLS - 1766MAST, JACOB, Bern.January 6, 1772 - March 7, 1772.To my son Hans MAST, all my place or improvement, "together with all that is fastened with nails," and the windmill, for £350. With provisions for wife during life, not named. Mentions oldest dau. Anna, by first wife, who married Jacob KAUFMAN and the 5 children by last wife. Jacob, Christian, Irena, Joseph, ‎(Hans being evidently the other)‎.Exrs: son Jacob and Joseph RENO.Wit: Michael SPEICHER, Christian HERSBARGER.Comments: - The Masts fled from Canton Bern, Switzerland, to the Alsace area of France and then to the Palatinate area of Germany because the Amish and Mennonites were being persecuted by the Catholics.

Jacob then came to America with two brothers, Joseph and Christian.They landed in Philadelphia aboard the "Charming Nancy" on October 8, 1737.Their last name was spelled "Masht" on the ship list.Jacob owned 80 acres of land near Bernville in Berks Co., PA.Three Mast brothers came overseas and one is our patriarchal ancestor.C Henry Smith in his "Immigrants to Pennsylvania," names them as Jacob ‎(arriving 1737)‎ and Christian who settled in Virginia, his descendants have been lost to the Amish faith. And he manes Abraham as the youngest brother; very little is known of him if that is his name. His name cannot be found in the archives of Pennsylvania.‎[MAST1.FTW]‎On "Charming Nancy" Ship List, 10/5/1737. Will in Berks Co. 1/6/1772 names issue by first and second wives. It is confjectured that he is a brother of the oldest ‎(un-named)‎ brother and John based on reasonable proximity of location to John, and relative infrequency of the name MAST is European Amish communities.Name is also seen MAUST. 96. MAST ‎(Maust, Mest, Moist, Moss)‎Jacob Mast, with four persons, on the William and Sarah, September 18, 1827; to Skippack: Jacob and Barbara Mast on the Charming Nancy, October 8, 1737; to Lancaster County: Jacob Mast ‎(1738-1808)‎, born in Switzerland, with brother, 4 sisters, to Pennsylvania; in 1764 in Berks County; 12 children, all married ‎(ME III:536; PGP 1:8, 190)‎.After 1776; Abraham Mast, with brothers Jacob and Christian, to America ‎(ME III:535; MC 224-225)‎. 1809 Amis Jacob and Joseph Mast from Somerset County: to Holmes County, Ohio ‎(BA 142)‎."Family Tree Maker's FAMILY ARCHIEVES Immigration Records: German and Swiss Settlers in America, 1700s - 1800s CD# 267"